


The truth

by chocolate-thief (chocolate_thief)



Category: Forever (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-20
Updated: 2015-06-20
Packaged: 2018-04-05 06:32:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,979
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4169529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chocolate_thief/pseuds/chocolate-thief
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Now that Jo knows the truth what could possibly go wrong</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first story so be kind :)  
> I kinda felt like all the reveal fics are really similar, so this is my version. Enjoy!!

It was a long boring day of paper work, with no murders needing investigating. When, at 9.30pm, she finally finished writing up the report for a case she sighed, leaning back in her chair. All she needed now was a written report from the medical examiner’s office stating the cause of death. She knew Henry was probably long gone but the report might be in his office somewhere,  
I’ll just go have a quick look, she thought, heading for the elevator. Then she could file the paper work and be done with the case. The elevator stopped its downwards motion, and the doors silently slid open. She made her way through the silent, dark lab towards Henry’s office. As she drew nearer she saw a small light shining through the glass wall. Frowning, the made out the form of a person sitting hunched over at the desk.  
Henry… she thought. As she drew nearer still she froze, hearing a sob. She cracked the open office door, curiosity burning through her veins. Henry never cried, not even when he was shot.  
‘Henry?’ She questioned. He jumped, spinning around to face her, his face white.  
‘Detective!’ He gasped, ‘What are you doing here?’  
‘I could ask you the same question’ she argued, peering at him. ‘Why were you crying?’ His face instantly hardened.  
‘None of your business.’ He snapped. Jo felt anger building in her. She was tired from a long day of paper work, and while Henry may be tired too, there was no reason for him to be angry at her. Was there?  
‘Why can’t you trust me, Henry?! You are meant to be my friend but you can’t even tell me how you’re feeling! What am I to you?’ His face softened ever so slightly.  
‘You are my friend, Jo, and I don’t know where I would be without you.’ He looked down at his hands, and she realised he was crying again. ‘But I’m a very private man, and I’m just not ready to tell you yet.’ Jo was still mad,  
‘When will you ever be ready, Henry?! We have been partners for almost a year now, why don’t you trust me?!’ He was sobbing harder now, great, heaving sobs that shook his whole body, but she couldn’t stop herself. He was always so strong, so… emotionless, and now he was vulnerable. She felt as though she was a predator, and him her prey.  
‘You always think of yourself, Henry! You think you are so much better than us, never telling us your feelings!’ She was yelling now, letting it all out.  
‘You don’t… understand,’ he choked out between sobs, his face red.  
‘Understand what!’ she shot back, eyes blazing. ‘I open myself up to you all the time, tell you my secrets, feelings, everything! Why can’t you do the same?’ She span around on her heel, heading for the door.  
‘Jo, please…’  
‘Don’t, Henry.’ She walked out without another word.

She walked out of the building towards her car. Why couldn’t Henry just open up to her? Why did he think she wasn’t good enough for his secrets? Her phone rang, startling her. Pulling it from her pocket she saw it was Abe. Groaning, she shoved it back into her pocket. She didn’t want to talk to him right now. A second late it began ringing again. The third time she reluctantly answered it.  
‘Hello.’  
‘Hey kid’ Abe’s cheery voice came down the line. ‘I was just wondering if you had seen Henry. Only it’s he and Abigail’s wedding anniversary today and he’s not home yet. I was just getting a bit worried about him; I hope he’s not taking it too hard.’  
‘Oh. I umm, I think he’s still at work, I was just leaving, I’ll go see him.’  
‘Thanks kid, you’re a good friend for him. Tell him you know it’s their anniversary, otherwise he won’t tell you. He tends to keep this stuff to himself, ya know?’  
‘Yeah I know. I’ll call you after I talk to him, ‘kay?’ 

She ran back into the building, guilt squashing the anger inside of her. She should have known this would have involved Abigail in some way. You could almost see Henry close up whenever her name was mentioned. She leapt down the stairs; she couldn’t bear to wait for the lift. She pushed open the heavy glass doors leading into the morgue. She could see Henry standing at the sink, bending over slightly. She slowed to a walk.  
‘Henry?’ He didn’t appear to hear her; he was concentrating, washing equipment or something. ‘Henry?’ she tried again, louder. He spun around, eyes wide open in shock. He leaned on the edge of the sink, hands behind his back.  
‘Detective.’ His voice shook, and she realised he was trying not to cry again.  
‘Um, Abe called, said you weren’t home yet, and that it was your wedding anniversary.’ She saw him stiffen at the mention of his anniversary. ‘Henry, I’m sorry. I know how you are about her, but you can talk to me…’ She paused as his eyes flickered down. ‘Can’t you?’ The silence between them grew until Jo couldn’t stand it. She took a breath, trying to thing what to say next.  
‘I… I loved her so much’ He whispered, eyes still down cast, tears rolling down his cheeks. Jo remained silent, waiting for him to make the next move. ‘It’s been so long but I still miss her.’ His tears were coming faster now. ‘Why did she leave me, Jo? She was one of the only ones I could be myself around, really be me.’ Jo took a deep breath.  
Why couldn’t he be himself around her? He was waving his hands around now, voice rising.  
‘I needed her and she left, I have no one to share my life with!’ He continued talking but Jo wasn’t listening. She was staring at his waving arms, the arms that had been behind his back. The arms with the rolled up sleeves. The arms with the hand holding a disposable scalpel. The arms with the red lines, slowly dripping blood onto the clean, tiled floor.

‘HENRY!!’ She rushed forward, interrupting him mid rant. His eyes flashed with emotions; surprise, fear and desperation as he realised she had seen his arms. He quickly stepped back, sending her a message.  
Stay away from me, Jo.  
She stopped, watching him as he stepped away further, putting more distance between them. Cautiously she stepped towards him, one foot, and then the other. ‘Jo…’ He took another step back, placing the blade against his wrists. She stood still, shocked. Looking up from his wrists she saw his eyes. They were filled with desperation, madness. And they scared her.  
‘Henry… what are you doing? What is wrong?’ He gave a hollow laugh.  
‘You don’t understand, you couldn’t, you never will.’ His voice was rising again, filled with… something. Jo didn’t know what it was, but it chilled her to the bone.  
‘Henry, give me the blade.’ She tried to keep her voice steady, from portraying her true emotions. He laughed again, loud and harsh.  
‘No. I loved her, and I thought she loved me. The only person left who I can be myself around is Abe, what will I do when he is gone? What is left for me in this life?’  
‘Henry, don’t do this!’ She was pleading now eyes fixed on the blade. ‘It will get better, I promise!’ He tilted his head, studying her.  
‘You think I will kill myself? Of course you do, you know nothing about me.’ He gave a bark of laughter, eyes shining. ‘I can’t die Jo, I’m immortal; I have died more times than you can count! Abigail-’ His voice cracked on her name. ‘Abigail was the only one who knew, except for Abe. What will I do when he’s gone? I will be all alone. No one understands me!!’ He was yelling again. Jo had frozen.  
Oh my god, he’s mad, actually mad, she thought.  
‘See! I said you wouldn’t understand, but you just had to know, didn’t you, Detective? You kept pushing, you just don’t stop, you have to know everything.’ Jo caught a movement out of the corner of her eye, turning slightly, she saw Hanson gaping at her and Henry through the glass doors. She flicked her eyes towards the lift, hoping he would understand.  
Go get someone, now! She shouted in her head. Turning back towards Henry she was relieved to see he hadn’t noticed Hanson; he was staring fixatedly at his hands. Jo sighed in relief, before seeing what he was doing. ‘Henry, stop!’ He didn’t look up, but stopped dragging the blade across his skin.  
‘I have to show you, Jo. I have to prove what I have said is true. I come back to life.’ He looked up, and his face fell. ‘You don’t believe me, do you? I can see it in your face. You think I’m mad.’  
‘Henry…’  
‘Save it, Jo. I don’t blame you, it sounds crazy. This is why I didn’t want to tell you, I knew it would ruin our friendship.’ He sighed deeply. ‘At least promise me this, you won’t tell anyone what I have told you, at least not for a day or so. Give me time to leave town, start a new life somewhere else. It’s not the first time I’ve had to leave somewhere, and it won’t be the la-’ He was cut off by Hanson and several other police officers who were on the night shift crashing through the doors. Jo turned to them in relief. Henry was so surprised, that by the time he could react he was handcuffed, with a cop holding the blade.  
‘Jo?’ Hanson questioned. At the sound of his voice she collapsed, sobbing, into his arms. He held her as the police officers led Henry, kicking and biting from the room. He didn’t look back.


	2. Chapter 2

‘Wait, so tell me again. He thinks he is immortal?’ Hanson shook his head. ‘I know he’s eccentric but this? This is just plain weird, even for Henry.’   
‘I think he has convinced himself this to help cope with Abigail leaving for some reason.’ Jo said softly. ‘But I can’t think why.’ They sat in silence for a while, listening to footsteps in the corridor. The door to the break room opened suddenly, and Jo looked up to see Abe’s worried face.   
‘Hey Jo, I came as soon as I got Lucas’s call, but all he said was there was something wrong with Henry. What’s wrong?’ Jo glanced at Hanson, before looking up at Abe.   
‘After you called I went to find him, and he was… was cutting himself. Lots. I told him to stop, and he asked if I thought he would kill himself. Abe, he was suicidal! I didn’t know what to do. And he told me he wouldn’t… couldn’t die, that he was immortal! I don’t know why he would say tha- Abe?’ Abe had gone white. ‘Abe what is it? Abe?’   
‘Huh? Ohh it’s nothing.’ Jo narrowed her eyes at him.   
‘She’s a detective, Abe. She’s gonna get it out of you.’ Hanson stated, looking bored. Abe cleared his throat.   
‘Well…umm it was after the thing with stalker, you know? The one who thought he was immortal? I guess it, I dunno, affected him. For a couple of days after he kept going on about immortality, but I didn’t think he seriously thought he was immortal, so I didn’t tell you guys. After a while he just stopped talking about it, went back to normal.’ He gave a dry chuckle, ‘Well, normal for Henry, anyway. But I guess he didn’t. Go back to normal, anyway.’ He sighed, ‘Can I see him?’ Jo and Hanson look at each other awkwardly.   
‘He’s still knocked out from the sedation they gave him. When they tried to restrain him he went crazy, trying to bite them and stuff. But he should be coming around soon.’

\---30 minutes later--- 

They were sitting in silence when Lt Reece stuck her head round the door.   
‘He’s awake. He wants to see you, Abraham. Says he won’t talk to anyone else until he has seen you.’ Abe stood and followed the lieutenant from the room.

‘Henry?’ He had heard the door open, but hadn’t looked up, figuring it was just another member of the NYPD mental health department, but at the voice he jumped up, opening his arms.   
‘Abraham!’ While they hugged, Abe felt Henry’s shoulders shaking, and felt the tears running down his face, soaking the top of his shirt.   
‘Oh, Henry, what have you gotten yourself into this time, eh?’   
‘What did you tell them? Abe?’ They were whispering now, hoping those outside could not hear them.   
‘I said that I thought it was from when you had the stalker who thought he was immortal, that his actions affected you more than you let on to others.’ Henry nodded,   
‘That’s good, believable. Now we just have to get out of this mess somehow. Do you thing I should try to escape or something?’   
‘They checked me before I came in, so I won’t be able to bring you something to kill yourself with, and I hate to tell you this but I think the entire NYPD is going to be watching you like a hawk, so escaping normally probably wouldn’t work either.’ Henry shuddered.   
‘Looks like I’m stuck in here for a bit then.’   
‘We’ll think of something, Dad.’ Abe gave him one last hug before leaving.

He had gone back to staring at the floor again when the door opened. Henry figured it would be Lt Reece as he had told her he would talk after he saw Abe.   
‘Henry?’ His jaw clenched but he remained silent, staring at the floor. Jo. Of course they would let Jo in. He ignored her, letting the silence grow. Eventually she broke it.   
‘Henry, look at me. Please?’ She put a hand on his shoulder, and he tensed. ‘This is for the best.’ She sighed. ‘They can help you here.’ At those words, the exact same that were uttered 200 years ago by Nora when she visited him in the asylum, he flipped. Throwing her hand off his shoulder he leapt to his feet.   
‘Shut up, Jo! You know nothing, there is nothing wrong with me, no one understands! Even I don’t understand!’ He collapsed in the corner of the small room, body wracked with sobs.   
‘Henry, please, they can—’ She was cut off   
‘Just leave, Jo. You ruined my life so just go, please.’ The words were so empty of emotion; they chilled Jo right to her bone. Sighing, she turned to leave, passing Lt Reece outside the door. Standing with Hanson they watched through the one way mirrors as Reece entered the room and approached Henry.

\---Inside the room--- 

‘Ok Henry. You’ve seen Abe, so now you need to talk to us. You obviously don’t want to talk to Jo, but is there anyone else you would feel more comfortable talking to?’ He shrugged.   
‘Well looks like you’ve got me then. So, why do you think you’re immortal? Is it like Abe says?’   
‘Lieutenant, if this is all the same to you, would you mind awfully if we did this tomorrow? I’m rather tired at the moment… it’s been an eventful day.’   
‘Yes I guess it has. I’ll be back tomorrow morning. And you will talk whether you want to or not.’ As the door clicked shut behind her Henry gave a sigh of relief. He had the night to work out what to do.

A short while later the precinct was silent, with the majority of the people who worked in it gone home for the night. He could see a faint glow under then door and through the one way mirror.   
So Abe was right, they’re going to watch me carefully. He lay down on the small bed in the corner of the room, pulling the thin blanket over himself.   
What am I going to do to get out of this? By morning he had his answer.

‘Ah, good morning Lieutenant. Detectives.’ He smiled at Lt Reece, Jo and Hanson as they entered the room. Jo and Hanson exchanged glances, eyes wide.   
‘I was not… in my right frame of mind yesterday, so to speak. I assume Abraham told you my story?’   
‘Hmm, yes, the stalker.’ Lt Reece said, ‘Please, continue.’   
‘Well, like Abraham said, I thought myself immortal for a time, I mean, why else would the stalker be so infatuated with me? Abraham wouldn’t listen to me whenever I brought it up, just point blank told me that it was nonsense, and after a while I realised he was right. I came back to myself. Last night I was just… a bit depressed, what with it being my wedding anniversary, and it all just came back, I don’t know what came over me. I can barely remember parts of it, just shouting at you, Jo. I’m sorry.’ He smiled at her, and shakily she returned it.   
‘After taking to Abraham yesterday made me realise what I was saying, how absurd it was, and I was so confused. That’s why I didn’t want to speak to you last night, Lt, and why I was so rude to you, Jo. Waking up this morning, I realised how mad you must think I am. But I’m not mad, honestly. Just a little depressed, I promise you.’ He sat back on the bed, leaning against the wall.   
‘So what happens now? I go to a therapist or something?’ ‘We’ll have you assessed by a psychiatrist, if he thinks you’re ok, yeah, you go home with Abe and attend some sessions with a shrink a few times a week.’   
‘Oh good.’ He sighed. ‘You can’t imagine how stupid I feel being here. The sooner things can return to normal the better.’   
‘The psychiatrist will be here soon, he starts work at 10. I’ll end him in when he arrives. Oh, and Hanson,’ Lt Reece turned to go ‘I need you to go talk to a Mrs…’ Her voice trailed off as she and Hanson left the room. Jo turned to follow them, but was stopped by a hand on her arm. She turned eyes travelling up, over the white bandages on his wrists, and up to his eyes.   
‘Jo, I’m really sorry about yesterday, you having to see me like that. I just… I wasn’t…’   
‘It’s ok, Henry. It’s gonna be fine.’ She turned when she heard the door open to see a man sticking his head around the door.   
‘I’m Dr Smith, I’m here to assess Dr Morgan.’   
‘Oh, umm, ok. I’ll just be outside then.’ Jo shut the door behind her and went to grab a coffee from the break room. 30 minutes later Dr Smith walked past the room and into Lt Recce’s office. Jo sidled up to the door, trying to hear what he was saying.   
‘Come in, Detective.’ Lt Recce’s voice startled her; she didn’t think they could see her. She sheepishly walked into the room.   
‘Sorry Lieu.’   
‘It’s fine, Jo. I know you’re worried about Henry and want to know how he is.’ Dr Smith cleared his throat,   
‘Well, he seems totally fine to me. A little eccentric but I hear that’s normal?’ Jo and Lt Reece both laughed. ‘So I can recommend you send him home. Make sure he attends regular sessions with a therapist and have someone he is close to at work check up on him a few times. He might find it easier to talk to someone he knows than a stranger.’   
‘Thank you, Dr Smith. Jo, do you want to be the one who checks up on Dr Morgan from time to time? You’re probably the one he’s closest to here, apart from Lucas.’   
‘Oh um sure, ok.’ ‘Go tell him what Dr Smith said, and maybe keep a close eye on him for the rest of the day.’

‘Jo! What did he say? He wouldn’t tell me a thing, just made a lot of notes and left.’   
‘You’re fine, Henry. You can go home now. Lieu has made a few appointments for you for the next few weeks with a therapist, so you just need to make sure you go to all of those, but otherwise you are a free man, Dr Morgan. Do not go far.’ At the words she had said to him the last time he was in an interview room as a suspect he smiled. As he followed her out of the door he was ambushed by Lucas.   
‘Hey Doc, how does it feel being a free man again!’ Henry laughed at Lucas’s obvious happiness at him being back to normal, but it soon faded as he remembered what he was about to do to him and Jo.


	3. Chapter 3

\---One week later---

It was chaos in the shop. Luggage was packed up and stacked on top of furniture.   
‘I wish we didn’t have to leave the majority of our antiques behind.’ Henry grumbled as he lugged down the stairs a final suitcase.   
‘Me too but it would have taken too long to arrange.’ Abe yelled from behind a pile of bags. ‘By the way, loving the new hair, Henry!’ Henry scowled, running a hand through his now blond hair.   
‘I hate having to change my appearance whenever we leave.’   
‘Ahh, give over, Pops. It suits you. Kinda. And you know you have to change your appearance when you get a new ID so the NYPD can’t track you, Harold Manith.’   
‘Haha, Anthony Manith. At least this time it will be easier, just telling everyone you are my father- oh, the taxi is here.’ Soon they had all their bags in the back of the taxi, and all too quickly they had arrived at the station. They stored their bags in the storage carriage and found their seats. As the train steamed out of Penn station Abraham sighed,   
‘I hope the new owner of the store sells the antiques to good people, not just someone who is going to paint it and call it modern.’ ‘Who did you sell it to in the end? The guy who wanted to make it into a café?’   
‘Yeah that’s the one.’ They sat in silence as the train continued its journey to New Orleans.

\---The next day---

‘Hey, Lucas, you don’t know where Henry is, do you?’   
‘Oh, hey, Jo, um no he didn’t come in this morning, I assumed he was at the therapist this morning- he said he had an appointment.’   
‘Yeah that’s what I thought but his therapist called saying he hadn’t turned up and had we seen him. I tried calling Abe but he isn’t picking up.’   
‘Um maybe he’s sick or something? I mean, he could just be at home or something?’   
‘Yeah maybe. I’ll go see. Thanks Lucas.’

As Jo approached the antique shop she could see the antiques inside were covered by clothes. Weird. She thought. She tried the door but it was locked. Peering through the glass, Jo could see a person moving about, but she couldn’t see who it was. When she knocked on the glass, the person turned, walking towards the door, and she could see it wasn’t Abraham or Henry.   
‘Hey, how can I help you?’ The man, possibly in his early 50s leaned on the door way.   
‘I’m detective Martinez,’ she flashed her badge. ‘Um, I’m just…um who are you?’   
‘Ben Sanders.’   
‘Ok, um, Mr Sanders. I was just looking for some people. The people who live here. Henry and Abraham Morgan?’   
‘Oh, them. Yeah I bought this shop off them, I’m planning on opening a café, and I’m moving in today. Do you know them? ‘Cos they left a lot of furniture here which I wasn’t expecting.’   
‘Wait, they sold it? I work with Henry and he didn’t mention it.’   
‘Oh, um I think the old guy said they were moving. Can’t remember if he said where, though. I think they left this morning on the train. They said I could move in as soon as I wanted to.’   
‘Oh, right. Well, thanks for your help, Mr Sanders. I need to get back to work now.’ ‘No probs, Detective. Glad I could help.’ 

‘Hanson!’ Jo shouted as the lift doors opened. ‘Hanson, you’ll never guess what happened. Henry and Abe have gone. Left. Disappeared. They sold the shop but left all the antiques. It’s like they’ve done a runner!’   
‘Wait, what? Slow down Jo. How do you know?’   
‘I talked to the guy who bought their shop. He said he thinks Abe said they were leaving New York by train today.’   
‘Well go tell Lieu, I’ll get the public transport department to tell me what train he and Abe bought tickets for this morning, and we can see where they are headed.’   
‘Ok, thanks Hanson.’ 

‘Lieu, I need to talk to you.’ Jo poked her head into her office.   
‘Not know Jo I’m busy.’   
‘It’s an emergency, Henry and Abe are gone.’   
‘Gone where? What do you mean?’   
‘They have gone, left New York. The sold the shop and apparently left on a train this morning. Hanson’s trying to find out where they bought tickets to.’   
‘Jo, Lieu.’ Hanson’s head appeared round the door.   
‘The transport department has no record of tickets being sold to anyone named Henry or Abraham Morgan. What do we do know?’   
‘Get Mary-Ann to pull up surveillance footage from Penn station. That’s where they have most likely caught a train from. Once we have worked out which train they got on we can pull up ID photos of everyone on that train and work out what names they are travelling under.’ 

‘Wait wait wait, go back.’ Jo and Hanson had been looking over Mary-Ann’s shoulder for almost 30 minutes without seeing anything. Mary-Ann rewound the tape, pausing it. ‘There, that guy with the paper. Do you think it could be Abe?’   
‘I dunno, Jo. Abe has grey hair.’   
‘Yeah, but think Hanson. If they are doing a runner for whatever reason it makes sense that they would alter their appearances. Play the tape, please, Mary-Ann.’ A few minutes passed as they watched the man turning pages of the paper before another, younger man approached him. ‘Oh my god. That’s Henry, isn’t it, Hanson?’  
‘Looks like him, the long coat and scarf. Blond hair really suits him. Not.’ He laughed. ‘Ok, so they are waiting on the platform for the 9.15 Crescent service to New Orleans. But they could get off before then, so now we need to get a list and photos of everyone who bought a ticket on that train.’


	4. Chapter 4

‘Hey, Jo, the names and photos of the passengers have come through.’ Hanson called across the office.   
‘Coming!’ Jo called back. Together they spread out the photos, Jo nearly immediately spotting Henry. ‘Hanson, look! It’s Henry.’ ‘Hanson took the photo.   
‘Harold Manith.’ He read off the back. He looked at Jo. ‘It says that he bought a ticket to New Orleans. Moving 100’s of miles away, he really is doing a runner.’   
‘Hey this looks like Abe.’ Jo commented.   
‘He looks good with brown hair. Says his name is Anthony Manith.’ Hanson picked up the photos. ‘I’ll run the names through the system, see if we can find out anything else.’   
‘Thanks Hanson.’

Jo sighed. She was trying to do some paper work but her mind kept wandering back to Henry. Why was he running? And from what? She stood up, intending on going to see how Hanson was getting on, just as he yelled across the room to her.   
‘Hey, Jo! Come check this out!’ She hurried across this room, leaning over Hanson’s shoulder to see the screen.   
‘Whoa,’ she breathed. ‘This is pretty good fake ID.’   
‘Good is an understatement. This ID is almost a perfect replica. If we didn’t know this was Henry I wouldn’t even take a second look at it. Anyway, I tracked the credit card number attached to it, but there isn’t a transaction on it showing them buying a property. I guess they must be staying in a hotel or something, until they buy.’   
‘Well we won’t find out anything else until they arrive tomorrow, so I guess we just have to wait and see.’ 

\---The next day---

‘We are approaching our final stop. All passengers are to disembark here. Thank you for traveling with Amstar. We hope you have had a pleasant journey.’

‘Abraham. Abraham! Wake up, we are getting off now.’   
‘Huh what?’   
‘Abraham!’   
‘Ok, ok I’m awake!’   
‘Here, grab this bag. You made reservations at a hotel, right?’   
‘Hey why d’ya give me the heavy bag? Yeah, yeah I made reservations. Haven’t paid yet though. It’s just down the road.’ After gathering the rest of their suitcases they made their way down the round, stopping outside a hotel. Inside they were greeted by a cheery receptionist.   
‘Hello, how are you today?’   
‘Good, thanks. We have a reservation for two rooms under the names Harold and Anthony Manith.’   
‘Oh yes for rooms 21 and 22 for 5 nights. That will be $390 please.’ After Abe had paid they took their suitcases up to their rooms before going for a walk in the nearby park.   
‘Do you think they are looking for us yet Abraham?’ ‘Probably. You were meant to go to the therapist yesterday remember. When you didn’t turn up they probably let the NYPD know.’   
‘Yeah I guess. Hopefully they don’t track us here though.’

\---In the Precinct---

‘JO!! Come over here now!!’ Hanson yelled. Jo hurried over.   
‘What?’   
‘A transaction just showed up on the credit card for two hotel rooms for 5 nights. So we know where they are.’ Jo looked at the screen   
‘We should go there! It’s a 30 hour trip on the train, so that leaves us heaps of time if they are booked in for 5 days. I’ll go check with Reece.’   
‘Lieu? We found where Henry and Abe are staying. They booked into a hotel in New Orleans.’   
‘Let me guess, Detective. You want to go and confront him.’   
‘Well… only with your permission, of course. I was thinking of catching the afternoon service. It leaves in a few hours.’   
‘Better get backing then, Detective.’ Lt Reece smiled at Jo. ‘Oh, and take Hanson. You never know if you might need help.’


	5. Chapter 5

Jo stared out the window as the train drew away from the station.   
‘This is going to be interesting.’ Hanson commented. ‘What are you going to say when we find him?’   
‘I’m gonna give him a piece of my mind then he can explain.’ Jo muttered. Hanson rolled his eyes. 

\---The next evening---

Hanson and Jo walked into a hotel a few blocks from the one Henry and Abe were staying at. After putting their bags in their rooms and freshening up they decided to grab something to eat from the restaurant downstairs before hitting the sack. They made their way downstairs to the restaurant, choosing a table near the window.   
‘So what’s the plan Jo? Go and see Henry and Abe in the morning?’   
‘Yeah after breakfast. Before they go out for the day or something.’ Their meals came and they stopped talking, just eating. After a while Jo spoke up.   
‘I can’t think why they would leave New York. And not just leave, but make fake ID’s and everything. It’s weird.’   
‘I dunno, Jo. Maybe they were trying to avoid something from their past. Maybe they were caught up in something a while back and it’s caught up with them again.’ They paid for their meals and started walking to their rooms.   
‘Maybe, but it’s weird that he wouldn’t tell us, I mean, we’re the police. And so soon after the whole immortal thing. I dunno, it’s weird. Anyway, night Hanson.’   
‘Good night Jo.’ 

\---The next morning---

Hanson and Jo walked down the road, passing the station.   
‘Ok so what’s the plan, Jo? We just go up to the receptionist and ask? ‘Cos these days they don’t tell you the room they are in. They just call them and say you are there to see them. If they tell them we’re here, they might try to sneak out without us seeing them. So do we pull out the whole police thing? Get their room numbers and just knock on their doors?’   
‘Yeah I reckon. It’s the best way to put them on the spot, not give them any time to come up with an excuse or leave.’ By now they were outside the hotel Henry and Abe were staying at. She took a deep breath.   
‘Ok let’s do this.’ Together they pushed the doors open. 

They walked towards the counter and the receptionist turned to greet them. ‘Hi, how may I help you?’   
‘Hi, umm, we’re looking for some people by the names Henry and Abe Morgan,’   
‘Harold and Anthony, Jo. They changed their names remember.’   
‘Oh, yeah, right. Harold and Anthony Manith. They are staying here, right?’   
‘Yes, they booked in yesterday. I would ask if you would like me to give them a call saying you’re here, but they went out for a walk after breakfast and they are not back yet. They shouldn’t be long if you would like to wait. There are some seats over there.’   
‘Oh, well you see, Harold used to work with us at the NYPD,’ Jo and Hanson flashed their badges ‘but he and his roommate, Anthony, changed their names and left New York and we managed to track them here. We’re trying to work out why they left. Do you have a key to their rooms? It might be easier if we wait for them up there.’

5 minutes later they were waiting in Henry’s room, or what they assumed was Henry’s room as it was the tidier of the two. Soon they heard footsteps coming up the stairs.   
‘Hey, Harold, why don’t we go to that museum down in town today? Everyone says it is really good.’ They heard a key being inserted into the lock.   
‘Why not? Let me grab my scarf and then we can catch the tram from the stop down the road.’ The door swung open and Henry entered, shutting the door behind him. He turned and froze at the sight of the two detectives sitting on the bed. Jo smiled at him while Hanson tried not to laugh. Henry slowly walked over to the door joining the two rooms and knocked on it.   
‘What?’ came Abe’s voice from the other side. ‘Can’t a man get changed in peace?’   
‘Umm, Abraham, I have a feeling we’re not going anywhere today.’   
‘Why? Why can’t we.’   
‘Come here and you’ll see why.’ They door opened to reveal Abe.   
‘Don’t tell me you can’t find your ID or someth—oh, hi guys.’ Jo stifled a laugh.   
‘Hi, Abe. Henry, blonde hair suits you.’ Henry self-consciously ran a hand through his hair. He cleared his throat.   
‘Well, to what do we owe the pleasure?’ Jo narrowed her eyes at him.   
‘Well, I think you can tell us why we had to track you down, huh Henry? Or would you prefer Harold?’   
‘Jo, go easy on them, ok?’ Hanson turned to Henry ‘I’m gonna assume you guys have a reason why you just up and left?’   
‘You’re going to think I’m crazy, but we left because of the… immortality thing. It’s dangerous for me to be in New York now. Sooner or later someone will come across what happened; what I did and said.’ His fingers found the white bandages around his wrist.   
‘I don’t want to be there when it happens. I know I’m probably over exaggerating, but I’m not planning on hanging around so I can be locked up again.’   
‘Henry…’ Jo sighed. ‘No-one’s going to lock you up Henry. The psychiatrist already cleared you.’   
‘I’m not talking about the government, Jo. I’m talking about some psycho who wants to lock me in their basement and experiment on me! Try to work out the secret of my immortality!’ Jo turned to Abe.   
‘Why didn’t you come and tell us he thought he was immortal again? Why did you run with him?’   
‘He’s telling the truth, kid. I’ve been trying to get him to tell you his secret for months now, but he never wanted to. I think he was afraid of this happening. Once he had told you though, and you didn’t believe him we decided it was best to move on again. Make a new life where no-one knew his secret, like his life before he told you. Where he can be normal again.’ Jo couldn’t believe her ears. Abe actually believed Henry’s story about being immortal?   
‘Whoa whoa whoa, doc.’ Hanson’s voice caused Jo to turn.   
‘Henry! Not again oh my god.’ He had picked up a blade from his toiletry bag and was examining it.   
‘I’m sorry, Jo, but I have to show you that my story is true.’ ‘He turned to Abe.   
‘Abraham, I think the nearest body of water is in that park we went to this morning.’ Abe nodded. Turning to Jo and Hanson he said   
‘It might be best if you two don’t look. I still find I hard and I’ve seen it more times than I’d like to remember.’ Jo stared at him. ‘Ok, ok if you want to watch, watch. Be my guest.’   
‘Abraham!’   
‘Sorry, Henry. But don’t say I didn’t warn you Jo.’ Henry rolled his eyes, raising the blade to his throat.   
‘Henry… please, don’t’ Jo whispered.   
‘It’s fine, Jo. I’ll be fine. Go with Abraham to the park.’   
‘Henry, seriously, you can’t just kill yourself. Haven’t the sessions with the therapist been helping? Henry! Put the blade down!’ Hanson stood up, but before he could do anything Henry pulled the blade across his throat and fell to the floor.   
‘Noooo!’ Jo leapt across the room.   
‘No Henry! Stay with me!’ She looked at Abe. ‘Do something! Call 911!’ Her voice spurred Hanson into action, and he grabbed his phone out of his pocket. But before he could call 911 Abraham grabbed it out of his hands.   
‘You can’t call 911. You have to trust us.’   
‘Trust you? Trust you?!’ Jo was crying now. ‘Why should we trust you? Henry is going to die, and you are asking us to trust you?’   
‘Jo...Jo.’ Henry whispered. ‘Shh Jo it’s all right, you will see.’   
‘Henry, just… just stay with me, ok. I love you Henry, please don’t leave me like Sean. Please Henry, please!’   
‘Jo…’   
‘No Henry!!’ The light left his eyes and his body fell limp. Jo was sobbing, holding his body tight, until all of a sudden it wasn’t there anymore.   
‘Abe? Abe what happened’ Hanson’s voice brought her back to reality. ‘His body just disappeared?’ Abe was moving around the room, gathering clothes;   
‘We have to go meet Henry.’ was all he said.   
‘What are the clothes for?’   
‘When he dies he comes back naked.’ Hanson laughed.   
‘All the public nudity charges?’ Abe cracked a smile.   
‘Well done detective.’ Hanson whistled under his breath.   
‘If this whole thing is real and I am not dreaming, then he’s died a lot.’


	6. Chapter 6

After they arrived at the park, the three walked towards the lake.   
‘So does he just appear back in the water?’ Jo asked. She was still quite shaken up.   
‘Yeah pretty much. He will probably be out now though, it took us a while to get here.’ Just as he said that Jo heard a rustling in the bushes to a left and heard a muffled   
‘Jo! Over here!’ Turning she saw Henry’s eyes starting back at her from behind a bush.   
‘Abe. Hanson. Abe!’ She called the others without turning around, her eyes locked on Henry’s.   
‘Oh good, you found him. Here ya go Henry.’ Abe passed him a towel and a bag of clothes. A few minutes later he emerged from the bushes fully dressed and drying his hair with the towel.   
‘Henry!’ Jo leapt at him, wrapping her arms around him, sobbing again. Henry stood stiffly for a few minutes before gently folding his arms around her. ‘I thought you were dead, Henry! I thought you were gone forever.’   
‘I told you I would be fine, Jo, and here I am.’ Once she was sure that what she was seeing was, in fact, real, Jo allowed herself to be angry.  
‘Oh my god, Henry! Don’t ever do that again! You scared me so much!!’ She pulled back from his arms and hit him on the chest.   
‘Yes, well, I had to show you somehow that what I said was true.’ He chuckled. ‘And believe me, I hate dying.’ Abe coughed,   
‘Umm, guys? We should probably go back to the hotel. Henry can explain a bit more of his story then.’   
‘Ohh, yeah, sure. By the way, Henry, don’t think you’re getting off this easy. You scared me!’   
‘Let’s not forget, Detective, that you were then one who got me arrested and told everyone I was crazy.’ He had meant it as a joke but at his words he saw Jo’s face fall.   
‘I’m sorry I didn’t believe you, Henry, but what was I meant to do?’   
‘Hey, Jo, it’s okay. At least I didn’t get experimented on or anything this time.’ Jo bit her lip, looking down at her feet as they walked along the street.   
‘Well done Pops, you’re making her feel much better.’ Abe muttered sarcastically. Henry, who was walking in front of Abe with Jo, didn’t hear but Hanson, who was walking next to him, did.   
‘Wait, Pops?’   
‘Yeah.’ Abe sighed.   
‘I guess that will be one of the first stories he tells.’   
‘Wait, POPS?’ Hanson asked louder, ‘Pops as in Dad?’   
‘Long story.’ Abe kept walking, although Hanson had stopped.   
‘What do you mean, pops? No offense, Abe, but you’re like 40 years older than Henry. There is no way he’s your dad.’ Abe turned around.   
‘You really what to question that now? Right after you’ve seen someone die and come back to life?’ He started walking again. ‘Come, on Hanson, we need to catch the others up. Hey! Guys! Wait up!’ Henry and Jo turned, waiting for them. When they caught up, Abe started to speak to Henry, and Jo fell back next to Hanson.   
‘Jo, this is seriously weird. Abe says Henry is his father.’   
‘What? But Henry his like half his age?’   
‘Yeah, I know right. Like sure Henry can’t die, but that doesn’t mean he can have a kid who is double his age, it’s just not possible.’ By now they were back at the hotel, and they climbed the stairs to the floor where Henry and Abe’s rooms were. Once they were seated in Henry’s room, Jo and Henry on the bed and Hanson and Abe on arm chairs, Henry began telling his stories.   
‘I don’t know where to begin.’   
‘I would say just tell your whole life story.’ Abe said,   
‘But then we would be here for ages.’   
‘Thank you, Abraham.’ Henry glared at him. He looked at Jo, and then his gaze moved to Hanson. ‘I should tell you how Abe and I know each other. Our fathers weren’t business partners like I told you, Jo. Abraham is my son. Adopted, but my son nonetheless.’ Jo interrupted,   
‘Henry that’s crazy. I know we just saw you come back to life, and everything, but how can you adopt someone twice your age? By the time you were born Abe would’ve already been an adult.’ Henry chuckled.   
‘Yes, I guess it would seem a bit… weird. But he is my son. I adopted him with Abigail.’ His eyes grew sad. ‘She had found him as a baby in a camp at the end of the 2nd world war, and we fell in love with him and each other.’ Hanson frowned.   
‘Henry you were born in like 1979 and the war ended in 1945.’   
‘I was born in ’79, yes.’ Henry nodded. ‘But it’s the first two numbers that matter. I was born in 1779, and later this year I will turn 236. I don’t die, remember. I stay 35 for ever. Anyway, that’s how I met Abigail.’   
‘Wait, if Abigail was Abe’s mother, then whose bones did we find and you guys scattered? Wasn’t her name Sylvia or something?’ Jo’s forehead creased. Abe sighed, looking sad.   
‘Those bones were Mom’s. She was living under an alias.’ Jo mouth dropped open,   
‘Then, Henry, you just buried your wife!’ He nodded sadly.   
‘Yes, we were a family. Anyway, so I was born in 1779, and my first wife was called Nora. I was on a slave ship as a doctor in 1814, sailing from England to America, and she was going to join me there later, once I had built a house.   
I was shot by the captain when I refused to let him throw a slave over board- he didn’t have typhus, just a fever, but they didn’t believe me. After he shot me he threw me overboard. I woke up in the water and after many hours another ship picked me up as they sailed past. I eventually made it home to England, but when I told her my story she had me committed to an asylum. I managed to escape and began my life again. I never let myself get close to anyone after that, because I knew they would die eventually and I would be left alone, or that they wouldn’t believe me.   
Then I met Abigail, and I tried to leave her because I was afraid we were getting too close. After a while she discovered my secret, but she loved me anyway. We moved to America and I asked her to marry me. We were happy at first, but as she grew older she become more and more uncomfortable; people began to think she was my mother. She left us, and moved to a house in the country, and lived there until Adam found her, the-’   
‘Wait, wait.’ Hanson interrupted ‘Who is Adam?’   
‘He is my stalker, another immortal. He found her, and he knew that she knew another immortal. He was trying to find out who I was from her, and she killed herself to protect me. Abraham and I then opened up the store to sell some of my old furniture, and later I started work at the OCME. That’s the short version of my life.’   
‘And you die often?’ Jo stared at him.  
‘Yes, quite frequently. It’s not pleasant; I feel all of the pain.’ They lapsed into silence, Jo and Hanson thinking about what he had just told them.


	7. Chapter 7

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Henry turned to Abe and Hanson.   
‘I’m a bit peckish after all that. Would you mind awfully going and getting something to eat from down the road? There is a nice little bakery not that far away.’   
‘Yeah sure.’ Abe stood up ‘Coming Hanson?’   
Once they had left he turned to Jo.   
‘I’m sorry I had to show you that, but I had to get you to believe me. Now you know why I push everyone away, and never get close to anyone. But what you said when I was dying, did you mean it?’ Jo gulped.   
‘When I said that I loved you?’   
‘Yes.’ Henry studied her face, and Jo looked down at her hands.   
‘Yes.’ She whispered, a tear falling from her eye. ‘But I guess we can’t, you know, be together. You’re immortal, and one day I’ll be old, or gone, and you will still be 35.’   
‘Jo,’ He gently put his hand under her chin, lifting her head up so that she was looking at him, and he dropped his gaze, looking at the floor. ‘Jo, I…’ He trailed of, sighing, and Jo closed her eyes, trying to keep the tears at bay.   
He doesn’t love me. He’s going to tell me that. Politely, but he’s still going to tell me. Why did I think he loved me too? Why did I tell hi-’ Her thoughts were interrupted by the feeling of Henry’s lips on hers, and her eyes flew open in astonishment. She broke away from the kiss,   
‘Henry! What was that?’ He smiled at her.   
‘I love you too Jo. I know one day you’ll be gone and I’ll still be here, but right now I love you more than anything else in the world.’ He leant down towards her and their lips met again. After a while Jo pulled away from him.   
‘What do we do now? How do we bring you back to New York in a way that’s not suspicious?’ His smile dropped a little.   
‘I don’t know.’ He admitted.   
‘Well that’s a first!’ Hanson’s voice shocked both of them and they jumped away from each other. ‘Aww, give over, guys. Abe and I already saw you together, you don’t have to pretend. Just try and hide it back at the precinct for a few weeks. Only a week ago I bet Lucas $20 that you wouldn’t get together anytime in the next month. ’ Jo blushed, looking at Henry out of the corner of her eye. Abe cleared his throat.   
‘Why don’t you just say turns out that Harold and Anthony Morgan are real people after all? And that Henry and I had sold the shop and were moving back into his old house?’   
‘We don’t have an old house, Abraham.’   
‘Yes we do, I never sold you and Mom’s house after you moved into the shop with me. It just felt too sad, and we had enough money to live off, so I didn’t see the need.’ Jo suddenly spoke up.   
‘You can say that Abe had decided to retire, and that you didn’t go to the therapist because you were moving furniture and stuff.’   
‘We should probably call Lieu and tell her that Harold and Anthony were real people then, that they were business men on a work trip,’ Hanson said.   
‘and Abe and Henry can catch the next train back to New York. Then Henry, you could maybe just waltz into work in the morning and when they ask you where you were, say you thought Abe had called. Abe can say he thought you were going to call. Jo and I can catch a train back tomorrow.’   
\---Two days later---  
‘Morning, Lucas.’ Henry breezed into the office, hanging up his coat.   
‘Hey, Doc, wait, you’re here? Where have you been? Everyone has been looking for you!’   
‘I’ve been at home, helping with the furniture? Didn’t Abraham call?’   
‘Abe? No. Jo and Hanson even went to New Orleans looking for you ‘cos they thought they saw someone who looked like you at the station.’   
‘Well obviously I’m not in New Orleans. Abe and I were just moving our furniture back to my house where I lived before I moved into the shop. Running a shop became too hard for him, so we sold it. I should go speak to the Lieutenant.’  
Henry knocked on Lt Reece’s office door, conscious of the stares he was receiving from others.   
‘Come in.’ She called, and when he entered she stood up. ‘Dr. Morgan! You’ve got a lot of explaining to do. Where have you been?’   
‘Yes, I hear everyone has been looking for me. Abe became too tired looking after the shop, so we sold it and moved back into my old house where I used to live before I moved into the shop. I simply took a few days of to help with the moving. I thought Abe had called to say I was not coming in, but apparently he thought I had called. Gave me a bit of a surprise when I walked in this morning and Lucas greeted me with “Where have you been”.’   
‘I can imagine. Jo and Hanson should be back soon, I assume Lucas told you where they had gone? Yes? Well I’m guessing that Jo is going to be mad at you.’   
‘Yes, probably. I should be getting back to the morgue, so when she arrives would you be able to send her down?’   
‘Sure thing, Dr. Morgan.’   
\---30 minutes later---  
Jo poked her head round the door into Lt. Reece’s office.   
‘Hey, Lieu. Hanson and I are back. Any news from this end about Henry?’ Lt. Reece smiled.   
‘Yes, actually. He is down in the morgue. He asked if I could send you down, he has a lot of explaining to do.’  
Jo pushed open the doors to the morgue.   
‘Hey Lucas.’   
‘Oh um hi Jo. Henry’s in his office.’   
‘Thanks.’ She walked into his office, shutting the door behind her. ‘Hey Henry. Did they believe your story?’   
‘Detective.’ He nodded his head in greeting. ‘Yes they believed my story.’   
‘Good.’ She drew closer to him. ‘So, now what?’   
‘Now, we carry on exactly as we did before.’ She grinned.   
‘Exactly?’ he grinned back at her.   
‘Not exactly.’   
Lucas turned around from the computer he was working on at the sound of a crash from Henry’s office.   
Wow Jo must be really mad at him he thought, peering through the glass walls of the office. But he didn’t see an angry Jo yelling at Henry. He saw Jo pressed up against the desk, with Henry kissing her. A pile of books lay scattered on the floor, having been knocked off the desk. He stared for a minute, before really realising what he was seeing. He ran up the stairs and stopped, panting, at Hanson’s desk. ‘You owe me $20.’ He said grinning. ‘They’re together.’


End file.
